Nacional Secures a Spot in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana

Nacional defeated Coquimbo Unido 1-0 at Gran Parque Central on the final matchday of the CONMEBOL Libertadores group stage, but the result was not enough to keep the Uruguayan side in the race for the round of 16. A first-half free kick from Maximiliano Gómez, struck into the top corner in the 7th minute, gave Nacional an early lead and proved to be the decisive moment of the match.

The home team started strongly, using the quick goal to build confidence and control the tempo early on. Coquimbo Unido gradually settled into the game and worked to slow Nacional’s attacking rhythm, limiting the number of clear chances as the first half progressed. Gómez nearly doubled the advantage after a fine assist from Tomás Verón Lupi, but goalkeeper Gonzalo Flores came through with an important save to keep the Chilean side within reach.

The match changed just before halftime when Nacional defender Tomás Viera was sent off in stoppage time. The red card forced the Uruguayans to approach the second half with a more cautious mindset and left them defending their narrow lead with 10 men. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Nacional managed to hold on and secure the victory.

Even so, the three points were not enough to change Nacional’s position in the group. The club finished third in Group B and will continue its continental campaign in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana playoff round rather than advancing to the Libertadores knockout stage. For Coquimbo Unido, the outcome still marked an important milestone: already qualified before kickoff, the Chilean team became the tenth club from Chile to reach the round of 16 of the CONMEBOL Libertadores, reflecting a historic achievement for the institution and another notable step for Chilean football on the continental stage.